Quiet boys tend to get mischievous

Sunday

Jan 27, 2013 at 12:30 PM

That trip I took down nostalgia lane recently reminded me that raising nine boys and one girl was no picnic — and I have the picture to prove it.

Irene MichelColumnist

That trip I took down nostalgia lane recently reminded me that raising nine boys and one girl was no picnic — and I have the picture to prove it. That one picture brings back a lot of memories. Those parents who have experienced rearing a whole crop of rowdy boys will attest to the fact that their antics can be hilarious at times.The picture I’m talking about is a story in itself. Every parent knows that when it’s too quiet, you smell a rat. That’s how it was that afternoon, much too quiet. The door was closed to the bedroom where several of the boys slept in bunk beds. Of course, those bunk beds made it easy to reach the fan blades. I walked into the room, and to my great surprise, draped around the fan blades were several pairs of the children’s underwear. Five or six kids were sitting on the beds trying their best to hide grins. You know that grin — “It-wasn’t-my-idea-to-do-this” kind of grin. There was no doubt in my mind that it was a combined effort on the part of every one of those little rascals. Okay, I couldn’t help it. I had to laugh. I still laugh when I see that fan with all that underwear attached — no two pairs alike.Lest you think that they were up to no good because there was nothing else to do, let me clarify that. The older of those boys often prepared supper for us. Back then, it was hastily prepared, simple meals. There was no money for fancy fixings, so it was just the basics. However, I didn’t have to cook it, so I found it was always tasty. Oh, by the way, what we call “supper” is now called “dinner,” and what we call “dinner” is now called “lunch.” Confusing, isn’t it?Today, this child is married and comes over every now and then to cook for us. He has all the little extras to make mouth-watering meals, and one of his brothers followed suit, also cooking great meals for us and inviting guests over to sample the delicious meal he prepared. They just don’t come over often enough because they live quite some distance away. If they think their cooking, no matter how delicious it is, will make me forget about those pieces of underwear draped over the fan blades, they can forget it. That picture is indelibly printed on my brain.The daughter I mentioned, our only daughter, was kept too busy cleaning house and washing clothes to get into any mischief. Besides, she was always trying to keep her brothers in line. I can remember that precious little child using the vacuum cleaner when she was about 5, cleaning the baseboards and all. She is still a very thorough housekeeper and comes over to help me quite often.My husband, bless his heart, would starve to death in his own kitchen if I and the kids had never learned to cook. A couple of times he tried to make breakfast for me when I was sick, but that really didn’t work out too well. However, I knew better than to complain.The boys used to cut the grass and do odd jobs. When they were old enough some got jobs as newspaper delivery boys. When they got older and went to college they paid their own way by getting scholarships, grants and student loans. I honestly believe that was good for them. It taught them responsibility and made them realize the importance of studying.The boys who went to college also worked around their college classes. By the time they went to college they had shed their childish ways and no longer felt the urge to drape their underwear over the fan blades. But even today, looking at that picture can take me out of the doldrums.

Irene C. Michel, a native of Terrebonne Parish, is a columnist for The Courier and Daily Comet. She can be reached at 876-3252 or ICMwriter84@gmail.com.

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